The invention relates to a recharging apparatus for a self-running vehicle (hereinafter sometimes referred to only as "vehicle") for loading and/or unloading, transporting etc., having a storage battery as a power source, and more particularly to an apparatus for recharging a storage battery of such a vehicle, for example, a carrier, a cart or the like for transporting loads all while the vehicle is stopped, or going slow, or intermittently advancing to be loaded or unloaded along a predetermined course or track.
Recently, self-running vehicles have been very frequently used for carrying products from one stage to another throughout a manufacturing process. Self-running vehicles driven by a storage battery are used more often than any other type. However it has been required that either such vehicles having storage batteries as their power source be guided to a specific recharging chamber where the battery is to be connected to a recharging means, or that the used battery be replaced by another fully charged, storage battery. Therefore, during the recharging operation, the vehicles must be out of the usual transporting course and, therefore, operations must be interrupted, leading to a waste of time.
Since the vehicle is to be used for carrying some products, it is naturally desirable that the storage battery to be used therewith be of small size and high efficiency. Further it is advantageous that the battery in the vehicle be recharged to an extent sufficient for driving the vehicle during loading or unloading operation without being taken out of the transporting course.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for recharging the storage battery of a self-running vehicle during loading or unloading operation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for recharging the storage battery of a self-running vehicle, which enables the vehicle to move slowly or intermittently while carrying therewith a plug means under recharge.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a recharging apparatus, in which a plug means and a socket means are connected in such a manner that the plug means is prevented from slipping out of the socket means by a locking means during the recharging process.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a recharging apparatus which is sure in operation while avoiding a poor contact in a closed circuit.